The proposed budget by President Obama for the next fiscal year reportedly includes a lot of money for Georgia.

But don’t go stand in line just yet. If you don’t work for government, you aren’t likely to see a dime.

That’s because the proposed spending is just another round of one government bailing out other governments. For the average small business and middle-income family, it won’t mean very much.

No, this money is “government” money and once in government bureaucratic hands, it will never leave.

Some will no doubt cheer the proposal. School leaders would love to have the $1.8 billion proposed in the federal budget for Georgia schools. Who could blame them? It’s free money from God.

But for taxpayers, it’s a bad deal in the long term. If the federal government again bails out Georgia’s budget and schools, nothing will change in the state. Leaders will just suck off the tit of this federal welfare for as long as they can.

Changes, however, need to be made in Georgia, especially in education. Despite throwing more and more money at public schools over the last two decades, little improvement is evident. The state is still dragging along the bottom of the education marketplace.

Part of the problem is that Georgia has focused too much on education pay rather than putting money into students. Too many administrators are paid far beyond their worth. And while the state has raised teacher pay to cultivate higher quality, it still doesn’t get rid of bad teachers fast enough and continues to reward the collection of degrees and tenure over effectiveness in the classroom.

What really needs to happen in Georgia is for the money run out; only then will the stultified education system try to make fundamental changes. Nothing short of a financial drought will push state leaders out of the ineffective status quo.

Of course, most educators probably won’t see it that way. They want federal dollars to keep the current system alive — whether that system works isn’t really their concern.

But in the long run, taxpayers will have to pay for the federal government’s bailout, either with higher taxes, or from another recession caused by a ballooning federal deficit.

The only way to change the state’s underachieving education system is to cut off the money and force changes to take place. Another federal bailout undermines that reality.

***

Legislation has been introduced in the Georgia General Assembly to overhaul the state’s property tax system.

Good — the current system is a train wreck made worse by public officials who refuse to adjust property prices in the face of the economic downturn. They didn’t mind making upward adjustments in values back during the boom, but they’ve been darn slow to lower them now in the bust.

Anything that can level the playing field between the abused taxpayers and their governments would be welcome. It should be criminal for governments to stiff taxpayers during an economic downturn, as has happened in some areas.

Mike Buffington is editor of The Jackson Herald. He can be reached at mike@mainstreetnews.com.

I agree , it is time all branches of Govererment learn to live within our means. Tommy Benton would just have you raise sales tax, that way the schools wouldn't have to spend wisely, after all he says with a sales tax you only get taxed if you spend money. Hello, Tommy we all have to spend money.

Mike,
You are so right about our school system.I hate to be
so hateful about it but it is the truth. I pay school taxes and
I don't have children in school system but I have grandchildren
one of the teacher made a mistake by telling my granddaughter that she was having a lot of xcuses for not doing her home work but not
everybody has the money to have a computer and have the internet on to.I have to take her to the library to finish her homework and
so that teacher will not give her a hard time. Because She don't have no idea what is going on in this kid's life right and she should at least give she a little bit of reassurance that she under stands. thanks

Teachers don't care, because they get free laptops,cellphones.etc. everyyear. It doesn't cost them one cent. As a taxpayer, I say cut, cut,cut. We can no longer afford everyone of the teachers spouses to have a job at the schools. If we cut out theses useless jobs, that doesn't take a degree to have it would be a start.

I am a teacher and I didn't get a cell phone and a free laptop. I have a laptop issued by the county, but it's not mine. It's the same as any other business who provides computers for their employees. For example, my mom works in an office and she has a PC that she uses everyday. People don't complain that employees of small businesses get "free PCs".

And I do have to disagree with the statement that teachers don't pay "one cent". After looking back through my receipts, I spent almost $300 on my classroom that I will not be reimbursed. Just thought you should know . . .

I'm confused about taxpayer's comments. I teach and yet, I don't have a free laptop, nor do I have a free cell phone. I'd like to know what system is giving these things out. I teach in a great system. We are given what is needed to teach our children. That's o.k. though. I knew what I was getting into before I started teaching. Even with all of the griping, I LOVE to teach, even if I seemed to have missed the boat on all of the freebies I'm supposed to be getting. I guess I'll have to enjoy the free smiles on a student's face when they understand a new concept or finally conquer a challenge, or the many wonderful notes that I get from students that I keep in a drawer and pull out to read when I see comments like these. Those words from the children are worth their weight in gold!

How are the teachers responsible for this, they don't make the rules or hand out the checks. They just teach your children and mine to the best of their ability. No you don't like all teachers, but not all are bad either. I have three boys in the West Jackson area and have had no problems at the lower levels or middle school. Why such hatred towards people who devote their lives to teaching our young people?

Well, no need to get fighting mad here. Just and o-pn column. And no, Its parents that devote their lives to teaching. You see, teachers are paid, job. Parents are not, DEVOTE. If people don't like their jobs, they go find a new one.

If parents would "DEVOTE" their time to their kids, then the teachers wouldn't have to "DEVOTE" extra hours in tutoring and mentoring, which is often the case.

Teachers don't get paid for their extra time spent with those children, which qualifies them for your definition of "DEVOTE." Teachers are paid from the early bell to about 25 minutes after the late bell, and only for the days they teach. They aren't paid for Spring Break, Summer Break, Fall Break or Winter Break. They certainly aren't paid for their furlough days. They are not provided with free cell phones or free laptops, although they often use their own personal items to aid in their task.

They are not paid for the many late afternoons tutoring, or grading papers (whether in their classroom or at home), or for the many early mornings and late afternoons spent meeting with parents who don't understand why their precious Johnny or Sally received a C grade when the parents themselves have never bothered to ever look at Johnny or Sally's homework, that is if Johnny or Sally ever bother to do their homework.

No sir, I have to take exception. Teachers do "DEVOTE" their lives to teaching, else it wouldn't be worth the extra hassle... and certainly not worth the uninformed criticism.

Although you may "DEVOTE" your time to teaching there are many that do not. As with any organization, you have your good and bad employees. Teachers are no different.
We as parents are very involved with our childrens education & have tried on numerous occasions within the City of Jefferson system to set up appointments with our children's teachers only to be told that we can not because they have other commitments and have to meet with an administrator or conselor who has NO first hand knowledge of the situation.How many other parent's have also been treated in the same manner?
As for the grading of papers, I know for a fact many teachers have the quizzes and homework assignments graded by the students to save themselves of the burden.Policy or not?
As for the cell phone and laptop i do not know but the benefits available to teachers are generous if you consider days(190) worked out of a year. If you average days worked out of the year a teacher just starting out(0-3 yrs.,according to DOE website)makes about 23-24 $ per hour + the benefits. I dont believe that is too awful bad. There are many full year jobs that require a college education that make about the same & are required to work 260 days a year and dont have the benefit of getting the summer off and holidays.
BOTTOM LINE: If you dont like what your doing or feel unsatisfied then move on and open the position for someone that may.

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